The 2001 NCAA Wrestling Championships were filled with exciting matches and memorable performances. Minnesota emerged as the team champion, while individual wrestlers like Eric Larkin and Steve Blackford from Arizona State University (ASU) made their mark.
Team Standings
Minnesota won the NCAA team title with 138.5 points and an impressive 10 All-Americans. The Gophers achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the first team to win an NCAA title without a championship finalist and the first to have 10 place-winners in the tournament.
Here's a look at the top teams:
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | 138.5 |
Arizona State University's Performance
The Sun Devils had a strong showing, earning their first top-10 national finish since 1996, when ASU placed 10th with 45 points. This marked their 12th top-10 NCAA finish in the last 17 years.
Individual Achievements
Eric Larkin
Eric Larkin secured third place at 141 pounds with an 8-2 decision over Wisconsin's Grant Hoerr. This victory was especially significant as Hoerr had previously eliminated Larkin from the championship bracket with a 3-2 decision in the semifinals.
Read also: Championship Highlights
"It felt good to win third but I wish I would have been in the finals," Larkin said. "I wrestled badly against Hoerr in the quarters but I knew I could beat him for third or fourth. I felt good after last night, so I got my groove back a little bit."
Larkin advanced to the third-place match via medical forfeit after his scheduled opponent, Virginia Tech's Sean Gray, suffered a sprained MCL. A native of Tucson, Ariz., Larkin earned his second All-America honors, having placed fourth in the 1999 national tournament.
"Eric did just a fabulous job," Smith said. "Third place can be the toughest place in the tournament, to get to and to win. For him to be able to come back and avenge the loss to Hoerr says a lot about the kind of wrestler he is. Eric has had two knee surgeries that have taken well over 30 days of mat training from him in about a three-month period.
2001 NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships
Steve Blackford
Steve Blackford won the fifth-place match at 165 pounds, defeating Kevin Stanley of Indiana 8-5 with a three-point near fall at the buzzer. Blackford entered the final day with hopes of his second-straight third-place finish, but Matt Lackey from Illinois earned a slim 5-4 decision in the consolation semifinal match.
Lackey was also responsible for one of Blackford's four regular season losses, having pulled a 6-3 upset at the Las Vegas Invitational in December. Blackford bounced back, taking Stanley down to the wire and capturing fifth place.
Read also: The history of 4-Time NCAA Champions
"I'm really proud of Steve," Smith said. "He has a way of digging down deep and pulling out a match like that, and very few people possess that ability. Steve has a lot to be proud of."
A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Blackford concluded his career as one of the greatest wrestlers in ASU history. With a 6-2 record at nationals, Blackford finished his final season with a 35-6 overall record.
"It feels good to be a three-time All-American, but it's kind of bittersweet to go out in fifth place your senior year," Blackford said. "I think it was really a test of character to come back after that first round loss. I really would have liked to place third but I'm not going to dwell on it. The losses haven't really hit me but maybe in a month or so I'll breakdown."
David Douglas
David Douglas secured seventh place at 133 pounds, earning a 6-3 decision over Minnesota's Brett Lawrence. Douglas scored a takedown with five seconds left in the final period, cheered on by a capacity crowd of 15,500.
"I felt like I had on the black and gold instead of the maroon and gold," Douglas commented on the deafening cheers for his victory. "It felt good - all those fans yelling for you - you just feel that energy instantly."
Read also: NCAA Wrestling Championships: 2004 Results
Match Results
- 141: #3 Eric Larkin (ASU) dec.
- 165: #5 Matt Lackey (Illinois) dec.
- 141: #3 Eric Larkin (ASU) dec.
- 165: #3 Steve Blackford (ASU) dec.
- 133: #11 David Douglas (ASU) dec.
tags: #2001 #ncaa #wrestling #championships